10,000 Hours and 100,000 People

If there is a secret to financial success, this article contains it. I’ve been wanting to write this article for some time now, and I think the timing is finally right. I started to name this article “10,000 hours, and 100,000 people,” but I wasn’t sure if anyone would even bother reading such a title, and given the importanceof this article, I didn’t want that to happen. Since I didn’t name the article “10,000 hours and 100,000 people” I will break the article into two sections, the first section is going tobe titled “10,000 Hours,” and the second section will be titled “100,000 People.” …The purpose of this article is to explain the key to financial success, as well as to explain the path that leads to financial success. Why write such an article? Because there are still many who wrongly believe that financial success is largely due to good fortune, …they are sadly mistaken. Others are just sitting around waiting for their luck to turn, but they’re waiting is in vain. The Inspiration I received the inspiration to write this article several months ago, after I heard someone say, “Pretty soon I’m going to be flying around in my own private jet!” Why did this comment inspire me? Because I know the person who made the comment very well, and I also know that this person will probably never own a private jet, not that they don’t deserve a private jet, they just don’t understand the path to financial success. They don’t understand the path which would allow them to earn the jet. This person is just sitting around waiting for their“fortune to turn.” Let me go on the record and say, “your fortune never turns;” you must turn your fortune. …And there are two things that you must do in order to turn your fortune …that’s what this article is about. Let’s talk about the first thing: 10,000 Hours I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, before you can become successful at anything, you must… “put in the time!” There are no overnight successes! Some people appear to have succeeded overnight, …but only because you don’t knowtheir entire story. If you were to hear their story, and if you saw the dedication, and the discipline, and the attitude that got them where they are, you’d re-think the concept of good fortune. Everyone must put in the time to become successful;to become an expert! Michael Jordan has put in the time to becomean expert in basketball. Bill Gates has put in the time to become an expert in computers. Donald Trump has put in the time to become an expert in real estate. Warren Buffet has put in the time to become an expert investor. Where have you put in the time? Research suggests that it takes 10,000 hours of “studying” a subject before you become an expert. Certainly Michael Jordan has studied basketball for a lot longer than 10,000 hours, maybe even a lot longer than 100,000 hours. What subject have you studied for 10,000 hours? You will only have success after you’ve put in the 10,000 hours! Are you looking for success without putting in the time, if you are, you’re doing so in vain. You must put in the time, you must study the subject intensely, you must become an expert on the subject before you can offer any meaningful value to others. It’s the value that you provideto others, it’s your expertise that will make you successful. Don’t focus on becoming a success, focus on becoming a person of value, and success will pursue you and overtake you. What’s the lesson, you must put in your 10,000 hours before you can provide enoughvalue to be successful. People will only pay you for your value. Don’t chase after fool’s gold, in other words: avoid all get rich quick schemes. Take the time to provide genuine value, and you will have completed the first step in the success equation. 100,000 People Can you guess what this next section is about? Yes, you guessed it; you must help at least 100,000 people (on a monthly basis) in order to succeed. How many people do you think Bill Gates software helps on a monthly basis? Billions of people, which explains why he has billions of dollars, he has provided billions of dollars worth of value. How many people do you think were entertained by Michael Jordan? Certainly 10’s of millions, which explains why he has 10’s ofmillions of dollars, he’s provided that much value. If you want financial success, your work mustimpact the lives (not necessarily directly) of atleast 100,000 people on a monthly basis. Thegreater the success you desire, the greater the number of people you must help. Are you helping at least 100,000 people monthly? …Are you expecting hundred’s of thousands of dollars to show up in your bank account without first helping 100,000 people on a regular basis? (Notice I didn’t say tricking or conning people, but “genuinely” helping others get what they want from life.) You must help others! These are the two steps to financial success, the two steps that are often ignored by the masses.